Preparing shredded tobacco



PREPARING SHREDDED TOBACCO Filed Aug. 10, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ , AT'roRNEY Jan. 30, 1940. M. PATTERSON PREPARING SHREDDED TOBACCO Filed Aug. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 B lNvENToR/mz @iORNE-Y Jan. 30, 1940. v pATTERsoN 2,188,307

PREPARING SHREDDED TOBACCO Filed Aug. 10, 1935 3 Sheets-Shegt 3 FIG.5

INVENTOR ORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PREPARING SHREDDED TOBACCO Morehead Patterson, New York, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 10, 1935, Serial No. 35,636

29 Claim.

This invention relates to tobacco shredding, more particularly to a novel process and machine for shredding tobacco leaves and winnowing the shredded laminae from stem shreds formed during the shredding operation. The main object of the invention is to prepare shredded tobacco suitable for cigarette manufacture; and to this end the tobacco leaves are cut into narrow shreds by a shredder of the disk or other desired type to which the leaves may be fed tip first, or in any other suitable manner, and the shredded laminae thus formed are winnowed from the heavier stem fragments also formed in the shredding operation, to provide shredded tobacco suitable for cigarette making.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel machine for carrying out the process, wherein the stem butts are severed from the leaves before shredding. A further object of the invention is to disentangle and spread out the topreferably tip first, into a shredder of the disk type, but it should also be understood that the production of scrap tobacco for cigars is within the scope of this invention.

Another important object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for feeding tobacco leaves to disk shredders. Hitherto one of the main difficulties in the practical use of the gang disk shredder having interengaging gangs of rotating disks lay in the lack of a satisfactory feed for such shredders. As is well known to those acquainted with such shredders, it is necessary to feed the leaves in thin layers, preferably a leaf at a time, or at least without any considerable number of leaves going through one on top of each other. Also anybunches or knots of tangled leaves fed into the machine will result in a jam or injury to the disks. deal of delay for the reason that the disks have to 5 be completely disassembled to get at a central disk. At the very least, such irregular feeding of leaves results in frequent stopping of the shredder mechanism constitutes in a number of respects an Min -improvement on the feeding apparatus of the feeding the outspread tobacco leaves endwise,

The latter results in a great Rundell application above referred to. In the construction of the Rundell. application, the leaves are delivered one by one into position to be gripped individualy by grippers which necessarily slows up feeding to some extent and also limits 5 the output to a considerable degree when small leaves are operated upon, such as some grades of cigarette tobacco leaves. In the present arrangement the feeding operation is made continuous and faster by providing means for feeding a con- 10 tinuous mass or layer of leaves sidewise to devices which separate the leaves at one end, preferably tion means may be provided for pneumatically cleaning and spreading and mechanically strok- 2:; ing the leaves so that the leaves are in a cleaned and separated straightened condition, ideal for feeding to the disk shredder.

Another object of the invention is to prevent clogging of the disks by the wide or knotty stem 30 portions and at the same time to decrease the amount of stem material which must be subsequently winnowed from the shredded tobacco.' For this purpose a suitable device for cutting off' the butts is provided.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended. I 40 Referring to the drawings in which like-characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of a novel machine for shredding tobacco in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale showing the winnowing chamber thereof;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the leaf drying chamber;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of .the knife which severs the stem butts from the leaves;

Fig. 5 is a detail end view of one type of tobacco shredding device selected for illustration in the machine; and" 66 Fig. 6 is a detail end elevation of parts shown in Fig. 1.

In carrying the invention into eiiect there is provided a novel process comprising cutting unstemmed tobacco leaves into narrow strips of a spreading out the pendant, leaves, a set of con-' veyor belts arranged to admit the pendant leaves therebetween and advance them tip first into the shredder, and a winnowing chamber arranged beneath the shredder to catch the shredded tobacco and winnow the shredded laminae from stem shreds formed in the stemming operation. These various means and parts in the machine may be widely varied in construction within the scope of the claims to the machine, and some of the steps of the process may be omitted, or their sequence may be varied, within the scope of the claims to the process. The invention, therefore, is not to be limited to the particular process and machine described herein.

Referring to Fig. l, the principal parts of the machine for carrying out my novel process are as follows: A feed belt A which advances the leaves spread thereon by the operator. A threshing mechanism B which clears laminae from the stem butts of the advancing leaves so that the same may be securely gripped. A butt separator C comprising sets of endless belts running at progressively increasing speed, a leaf delivery belt runway D in which the cleared stem butts are swung to vertical podtion while the .leaves are being dlsentangled, cleaned and spread out by beater fans E and suction apparatus F. The sets of endless belts of the butt separator receive the butts therebetween and progressively accelerates them to establish the separation thereof and synchronize them with the linear speed of the gripper chain G and deliver them to the runway D.

The endless series of pairs of grippers G which coact to grip the upturned stem butts and carry the leaves in pendant position through the dryin ilwiwthe also serving to clean saiddaws.

The operator unties "hands" of dampened tobacco leaves and spreads them rapidly in a horisontal layer on the belt A (at a position not shown), whence the leaves travel to the butt separator C, Fig. l. As the operation and construction ofunits C, D. E, P, and G is-ful ly described and illustrated in Patent No. 1,968,098, granted on theapplicatlon of R. E. Rundell', further-description and illustration thereof is omitted in the interest of brevity and clarity, but it may be noted that the units will be lengthened to permit cleaning and spreading out the leaves at hi her speeds.

The leaves, after emerging from the suction apparatus 1". are advanced towards the drying chamber 1! by means of the grippers G which are mounted on a traveling chain and periodically closed to grip the stem butts of the leaves in the manner fully described in the above mentioned p tent.

The leaves upon passing through a T-shaped opening 20 (Fig. 3) provided in said chamber, are exposed to the drying action of' heated air admitted through an inlet 2| so that they may be shredded more .easily. A blower 22 circulates the airpast a heater element 23 adjacent the inlet 2|, a small portion of the heated air escaping through the opening 20 but the remainder returning to the blower, in a pipe line 2i to be recirculated. The leaves thus conditioned are carried towards a knife I which cuts the butt stems.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4. it will be seen that the knife I is carried by the guide rails 25 which hold together the grippers of the gripper chain G, as fully described in the patent identifled above. The knife is provided with a V- shaped notch having cutting edges 26 positioned in the path of the-oncoming stems. The leaves thus severed from their stem butts are then gripped between the pair ofvertically running belts J which deliver the leaves to the shredding unit K. This shredding unit, Figs. 1 and 5, may consist of two rows of overlapping cutter disks 2! driven in opposite directions by means of a train of gears (not shown). The belts J hold and guide the leaves while inserting them tip first into the shredder.

The shredded tobacco falls from the knives 21 on to a horizontally running belt 28 which discharges the mass of shredded laminae and stem fragments into a channel 2! of the winnowins unit L. A blower 30 in the unit L propels the mass upward against a ballle 3| on which the shreds of tobacco and stem fragments rebound in an upward direction. The heavier stem fragments are not carried to the top of the partition 32 but fall through the outlet 33. The shredded laminae, on the other hand, are blown over the top of partition 32 and emerge from a second "outlet 34; the stem fragments being separated in this manner from the shredded laminae which are to be used in the making of cigarettes.

Other types of shredders may be used to prepare shreds of tobacco suitable for cigarettes or cigars. If desired the tobacco leaves may be disintegrated by advancing them into the range of action of a reciprocating blade which shreds the leaves on a ledger plate.

Referring to Fig. 2, the gripper jaws II are opened when their rollers 4| engage a stationary cam 42, the butt stems then falling from the iaws so, or if they should be stuck thereon. a revolving brush M sweeps them from said jaws. The

brush is driven in the same manner as-disclosed in the above mentioned patent. The elected stem butts fall into a suitable chute M which guides the stems into a receptacle. not shown. If it is desirable to omit the knife I and dispense with the severing of the stem butts then the cam 42 may be arranged to open the grippers 4| when the tobacco leaves have entered between the belts J. Opposed gripper bars J on these belts grip the butt ends of the leaves and lower the suspended leaves into the disk shredder.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of shredding tobacco leaves which comprises cutting of! the stem butts of unstemmed tobacco leaves while mechanically held in pendant position, removing said butts from the path of the leaves, and thereafter cutting the butt-freed leaves lengthwise into narrow strips of a width suitable for cigarette manufacture and n winnowing the shredded laminae from stem shreds formed during the shredding operation.

2. The process of shredding tobacco leaves, as

claimed in claim 1, which comprises spreading out the tobacco leaves and gripping the butts,

them into narrow strips of a width suitable for while continuously feeding the leaves, and, after removal of the butts, feeding the butt-freed leaves between endless travelling surfaces to a shredding station for said operation of shredding.

3. The process of shredding tobacco leaves which comprises feeding tob co leaves into the proximity of a disk shreddeni-h pendant position suspended from their butts and then feeding the tobacco leaves tip first into said shredder to cut cigarette manufacture, and winnowing the shredded laminae from stem shreds formed during the shredding operation.

4. The process of shredding tobacco leaves which comprises feeding tobacco. leaves into the proximity of a disk shredder, in pendant position suspended from their butts, spreading out the leaves while they are being fed in pendant position, feeding'the outspread leaves into the disk 5 shredder, and winnowing the shredded laminae from the stem shreds formed during the shredding operation. 7

5: The process of shredding tobacco leaves which comprises feeding tobacco into the proximity of a shredder, in pendant position suspended from their butts, severing the stem butts from the pendant leaves, feeding the severed leaves into the shredder, and winnowing the shredded laminae from the stem shreds formed during the shredding operation.

6. In a machine for shredding tobacco leaves, the combination with a drying chamber, of means for carrying the leaves through said drying chamber to condition them, a device for cutting the stem butts from the conditioned leaves in pendant position, a shredder for d sintegrating the leaves after the stem butts have been cut therefrom, and a winnower for separating the tobacco shreds from stem fragments formed during the shredding operation.

7. In a machine for shredding tobacco leaves,

the combination with a feed belt arranged to advance a layer of leaves horizontally sidewise; of a butt separator arranged to receive the leaves from said feed belt and separate their stem butts, means arranged to receive the stem butts of the leaves after the same have been separated and turn them into a vertical position, an endless series of pairs of traveling g ipp rs coacting to seize the upturned stem butts and advance the leaves in pendant position, a set of conveyor belts disposed to admit the pendant leaves therebetween while they are being advanced by said grippers, a disk shredder below said conveyor belts, a stationary knife arranged to sever the stems of the pendant leaves close to their butts while the stem butts are gripped by said gripp rs and theleaves are between said conveyor belts, whereupon the conveyor belts will advance the v leaves tip first into said disk shredder, and a winnowing chamber disposed below said shredder to catch and separate the tobacco shreds from stem fragments formed during the shredding operation. I

8. The combination with an endless series of pairs of traveling grippers coacting to grip'the stem butts of tobacco leaves and advancethem in pendant position, of a set of conveyor belts arranged to admit the pendant leaves therebeu tween while they are being advanced by said grippers, a shredder underlying said conveyor belts, a knife arranged to sever the stems of the pendant leaves close to their butts'while the leaves are betweensaid conveyor belts and the stem butts are gripped by said grippers, whereupon the conveyor belts will advance the leaves tip first into said shredder, and a winnowing chamber disposed below said shredder to catch and separate the tobacco shreds from stem fragments formed during the shredding operation.

9. The combination with continuously traveling means acting to grip the stem butts of tobacco leaves and advance them in pendant position. of a shredder, and mechanism arranged to receive the pendant leaves while they are being advanced and feed them into said shredder, and a winnowing chamber arranged to receive and separate the tobacco shreds from stem fragments formed during the shredding operation.

'10. The combination with continuously traveling means acting to grip the stem butts of tobacco leaves and advance them in pendant position, of a shredder, mechanism for disentangling and spreading out the pendant leaves, traveling members arranged to receive the pendant leaves and feed them into said shredder, and a window ing chamber arranged to receive and separate tobacco shreds from stem fragments formed during the stemming operation.

11. The combination with means acting to grip the stem butts of tobacco leaves and advance them in pendant position, of a disk shredder, and mechanism arranged to receive the pendant leavesand feed them vertically tip first into said shredder.

12. The combination with continuously traveling means acting to grip he stem butts of tobacco leaves and feed them in pendant position, of a shredder, and mechanism arranged to receive the unstemmed pendant leaves directly from said gripping means and feed them vertically into. said shredder.

13. The combination with a cigarette tobacco shredder, of mechanism for suspending tobacco leaves from an end portion thereof, and means coacting with'said mechanism to lower the leaves while still suspended into said shredder.

14. The combination with a cigarette tobacco shredder, of mechanism for suspending tobacco leaves from an end portion thereof, and means coacting with said mechanism to lower the leaves while still suspended into said shredder, said mechanism including cooperating gripping elements carried in a generally vertical path bysaid lowering means I 15. The combination with "a disk shredder, of means for lowering tip first into said shredder a'tobacco leaf suspended by its butt.

16. The combination with a disk shredder comprising gangs of interengaging disks, of traveling grippers arranged to grip tobacco leaves at an end thereof and lower them into said shredder.

17. The combination with a disk shredder comprising gangs of interengaging disks. I of traveling grippers arranged grip tobacco leaves at an end thereof and lower them into said in continuous sidewise motive layer, of tobacco shlzdder, of means for supplying tobacco leaves leaf feedirTg means for separating the leaves of said layer and delivering them in pendant position to said shredder, said feeding means including a plurality of continuously traveling grippers arranged for movement in an endless path with I the grippers in side by side relation to provide means for separating end portions of said leaves from one another, and continuously. traveling means for gripping the separated end portions and delivering said leaves in separated condition to said shredder.

20. The combination with a disk shredder having interengaging'gangs of disks, of means for feeding unstemmed tobacco leaves to said shredder including a horizontal feed belt for receiving a layer of tobacco leaves arranged crosswise thereof and advancing said leaves sidewise, means for separating end portions of said leaves from one another, continuously traveling means for gripping the separated end portions and delivering said leaves in separated condition to said shredder, and pneumatic cleaning means arranged to act on the leaves in said gripping means.

21. The combination with a disk shredder having interengaging gangs of disks, of means for feeding unstemmed tobacco leaves to said shredder including a horizontal feed belt for receiving a layer of tobacco leaves arranged crosswise thereof and advancing said leaves sidewise, means for separating end portions of said leaves from one another, continuously traveling means for gripping the separated end portions and delivering said leaves in separated condition to said shredder, and leaf spreading means acting on the leaves in said gripping means.

22. In a machine for shredding cigarette tobacco, the combination with a cigarette tobacco shredder, of a leaf feed for receiving a layer of tobacco leaves arrangedwlth their butts extending in one direction and acting to advance said layer sidewise, of a butt separator, continuously traveling gripping means for gripping the separated butts, and means enacting with said gripping means to deliver the tobacco leaves in pend ant position to said shredder. 23. In a machine for shredding cigarette tobacco, the combination with a cigarette tobacco shredder, of a leaf feed for receiving a layer of tobacco leaves arranged with their butts extending in one direction and acting to advance said layer sidewise, of a butt semirator, continuously traveling gripping means for gripping the separated butts, and means coacting with said gripping means to eliver the tobacco leaves in pendantposition to said shredder, said gripping means comprising a plurality of gripp r laws arranged in alignment to and traveling in an endless path to provide substantially continuous opposed gripping surfaces for engaging the butts in a position relative to the individual gripping faces.

24. The combination with a tobacco shredder. of means for feeding tobacco leaves to said shredder, said means including traveling devices gripping the leaves near one end to hold the tobacco suspended and acting to deliver the tobacco while still suspended into said shredder, and -a pneumatic cleaner arranged to act on the suspended leaves.

25. The combination with a tobacco shredder. of means for feeding tobacco leaves to said shredder, said means including traveling devices gripping the leaves near one end to hold the tobacco suspended and acting to deliver the tobacco while still suspended into said shredder, and leaf spreading instrumentalities arranged to act on the suspended leaves.

26. The process of preparing shredded tobacco for use in the manufacturing of smoking articles which comprises cutting oif the butt portions of the tobacco leaves while mechanically held in pendant position, shredding the remaining portion of the tobacco leaves including the stems, and winnowing out the shredded stem portions.

27. The process of preparing tobacco for the manufacture of smoking articles which consists in cutting off the butt portions of the tobacco leaves while mechanically held in pendant position, pneumatically cleaning the tobacco leaves, shredding the remaining portion of the tobacco leaves, and winnowing out the shredded stem portions.

28. The combination with a tobacco shredder, of means for feeding unstemmed tobacco leaves in pendant position into the range of action of said shredder, butting mechanism cooperating to cut oil the leaf butts prior to delivery of the remaining portion of said leaves to said shredder, and a winnower arranged to receive the shreds from said shredder and winnow the stem shreds from the laminae shreds.

29. The combination with a gang disk tobacco shredder arranged to shred leaves into narrow shreds suitable for cigarette manufacture, of means for feeding unstemmed tobacco leaves in pendant position into the range of action of said shredder. butting mechanism cooperating to out 0115 the leaf butts prior todelivery of the remaining portion of said leaves to said shredder, and a winnower for receiving the shreds from said shredder and winnowing out the. stem shreds.

MOREHEAD PATTERSON. 

